If there’s a meal that is going to please a hungry crowd, then it’s got to be this Firehouse Pot Roast. It requires very little prep and the rest of the work is done in your heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. A three-pound chuck roast is transformed into a rich and hearty meal, one where the meat practically melts into beefy perfection.

What I love about this particular recipe is that it’s multi-purpose, whether you’re cooking for a crowd or want to meal prep to get ahead of a busy schedule. To start, you’ll heat oil in your heavy-bottomed pot and season the meat with a generous rubbing of salt and pepper, I mean really get it in there because it’s all about building layers of flavor. Then, the roast will go into the hot oil to sear the meat on all sides. This will not only add great flavor, but it’s an essential step in keeping the meat nice and tender.

Once I’ve got that sear taken care of, it’s onion time. I’ll put the roast into the center of the pot and add the onions all around the sides. Then it’s time for even more flavor, and that means a little garlic and chili powder along with a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce. As the meat cooks and starts to break down, it’s these flavors that will begin to work their magic on the roast.

I’ll just cover the pot with a lid and let it be for the next several hours until the meat has become fork tender. I’ll break that meat down with two forks, gently pulling apart the roast and stirring everything together. The best part is that, while this was on the stove, I was able to tackle a few items on my to-do list.

Why “Firehouse?” I don’t have an official answer, but I’d like to imagine that it’s because this is an ideal recipe for the fire station, especially because it’s a meal that can be prepped early and left to simmer and become delicious, so the firefighters can take a call then come back to a well-earned hot meal. My kitchen is a distant cry from a firehouse kitchen, but the intention is still the same: to cook up a delicious meal with simple ingredients and steps, so I’m not tied down to the stove. Serve this with whatever sides your family prefers, mashed potatoes, a salad, maybe some veggies. Firehouse pot roast is comfort food all worked up in a one-pot-wonder.